


Moments Laced With Gardenia

by Ava_BellaDonna



Category: Fleetwood Mac (Band)
Genre: 1970s, 2010s, Eventual Romance, F/F, Female Friendship, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2021-01-15 10:46:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21252131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ava_BellaDonna/pseuds/Ava_BellaDonna
Summary: Stevie and her flair for photography have a profound affect on Christine's life.





	1. Chapter 1

“Stevie, you know I love you dearly, but I really don’t want to. I know what you’re like and some of us actually _want _to sleep, eventually.”

After months of peace, Stevie’s ‘Please be my model’ plea picked up traction and was fast becoming the theme song for the _Fleetwood Mac _tour. Christine found herself, yet again, thrown into the position of the younger blonde’s unwilling muse.

“You say that, but Mick tells me you’re at the bar having a grand ol’ time until 5am.” Stevie countered, smirking.

Christine’s cheeks turned pink. “An exaggeration! Do you really think I could do that every night and manage to perform even half decently the next day? Not bloody likely!”

“If you say so.” Stevie shrugged, still looking amused. “I guess I’ll continue being my own model, then.”

“You do that,” Christine softened as she reached out and gave her friend’s arm a squeeze. “You’re really good, love.”

She meant it. Stevie had started this little project as a way to keep herself occupied while the band travelled around the USA and Canada to promote the _Fleetwood Mac _album. Christine liked flicking through Stevie’s polaroids she kept in a shoebox, mesmerised by the shutterbug’s talent for capturing her ethereal beauty in each shiny square. Christine adored Stevie’s passion almost as much as she adored her, but the thought of being the subject of a dramatic and theatrical photo shoot at 2am was not appealing. Christine partook in enough of those with the band as it was.

“Thanks, I’ll see you later.” Stevie said, turning towards her hotel suite.

“Hmm, good luck.”

During the next few days, Christine noticed Stevie embarking on a new creative vision of taking semi candid photos of their band mates and crew. Her raw shots included Mick playfully brandishing his drumsticks at her after a sound check, his eyes wild and mischievous. Lindsey trying to take a nap at the back of the tour bus, staring at Stevie with a stormy mixture of annoyance and intense longing. And Christine’s favourite; John at lunch using an empty beer bottle as a telescope, fondly laughing like a brother indulging his little sister for one time only.

Stevie tried photographing Christine at breakfast one morning while she was mindlessly doodling on a napkin. She had spent the night arguing with John over a repetitive issue and was tired and irritable.

“Bugger off, Stevie, I’m not in the mood.” Christine groaned, waving a cigarette dismissively at her.

The second time was before their show in New Orleans. Christine was fixing her hair and makeup in a hastily put together dressing room she shared with Stevie when she heard the shutter click. They companionably applied the finishing touches to their onstage looks while waiting for the photo to develop. After the image slowly revealed itself, Stevie picked it up and scrunched her nose.

“Do I look that hideous?” Christine asked dryly, giving a final tousle of her hair. “Wow, I wonder why I bother with this rigmarole every other night.”

“No. It’s just not _you_.”

“I was in the photo, I’m pretty sure it’s me.” Christine grinned, watching Stevie roll her kohl-lined eyes at her cheeky remark.

“There’s an essence I want to capture,” Stevie said mysteriously just as the pair heard a sharp knock on the door, indicating they had 10 minutes left to go.

Christine linked her arm with Stevie’s. “You can capture my essence later. Right now, we have a show to perform.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be a three-part story inspired by an actual Stevie quote I read where she talked about Christine flatly refusing to model for her polaroid photo shoots while they toured. Such a Christine thing to do, gotta love her!


	2. Chapter 2

When Stevie finally photographed Christine, it was before they kissed for the first time.

Fleetwood Mac had a few days before their Bakersfield concert so Christine accepted Stevie's offer to stay back in Phoenix with her. They sat together on a blanket in Stevie's parents' backyard, a bottle of brandy next to them along with Stevie's ever-present polaroid camera. The scene made Christine feel like she was a teenager again, drinking with her best friend while her Mum and Dad weren't home.

"You gotta do what's right for you, Chris." Stevie advised after Christine had lamented for the past half an hour about John and their shaky future. "Maybe see if things improve after we've finished these shows?"

Christine stubbed out her cigarette. "Maybe. The thought of leaving him is difficult to face right now. The fall out will be ugly and I don't want to drag you, Lindsey and Mick through it."

"You do realise you're talking about three people who have the most dysfunctional personal lives ever, right?"

It was true. Stevie and Lindsey were taking a 'break' and Mick's marriage had its fair share of dramas. Christine agreed that barely anything could bewilder or shock her band mates.

"We can handle it; and you know I have your back." Stevie turned to Christine with a fiercely protective look in her eyes. "I love Johnny but you've looked out for me since day one. Its my turn to be there for you."

Christine's eyes pricked with tears, completely moved and taken aback by Stevie's devotion to her and their friendship. "Thanks, love."

She ran her hand through Stevie's mop of hair before lying down, gazing at the soothing sight of the grey clouds; a slice of English sky in Arizona. Coupled with the cool December air, Christine was almost transported back to her old life in Birmingham. The nostalgia made her smile.

Stevie's face suddenly loomed over her, her eyes wide. "This is it." She whispered before grabbing her camera.

Christine could barely react as Stevie straddled her and held down the shutter. She took the polaroid out and set the camera back down, her thighs still pressed on either side of Christine's body.

"You look stunning." She smiled happily as the much-anticipated shot emerged.

"So do you," Christine replied earnestly. Stevie glowed with pure joy; it was almost too much for the older woman to bear. Magnetised, Christine lazily ran her hand up Stevie's hip but withdrew when she heard her breath hitch.

"Sorry." Christine muttered, trying to sit up but failed as Stevie pinned her back down.

"Don't be," Stevie breathed, her lips inches away from Christine's and a daring glint in her eye.

Before Christine could think, she cradled Stevie's face in her hands and kissed her. It was soft and sweet but they both felt the undercurrent of desire. Christine opened her mouth and Stevie lazily slipped her tongue inside, moving slowly before intensifying the kiss. Stevie bit Christine's bottom lip and placed a trail of hot, wet kisses down her chin and neck, licking her pulse point. Christine moaned throatily and her hips bucked up involuntarily. She gripped Stevie's back, feeling her body heat burn through her sweater.

Christine hadn't felt this turned on in a while. She knew she would smell like Stevie's gardenia perfume and the intimate thought made her want to pull Stevie's clothes off and get closer.

Stevie seemed to have the same thought process as she slipped her hand up Christine's t-shirt and slowly inched her way up her taut stomach before palming her breast through her bra. Their lips met again and Stevie swallowed Christine's moan while she thumbed her stiff nipple through the fabric. Christine could feel the pulsing between her legs, a growing wetness forming there as she wrapped her thighs around Stevie's hips.

Stevie pulled back and sat astride Christine again. Christine watched with lust-filled eyes as Stevie sexily pulled off her sweater, revealing the lacy peach bra she wore underneath. In an almost hypnotic trance, Christine reached up and cupped her breasts, squeezing them and enjoying the feel of Stevie's nipples hardening from her touch. Stevie threw her head back in ecstasy and Christine nearly came then and there.

Biting her lip, Stevie reached behind her to unclasp her bra. It was that action which sent Christine hurtling back into reality.

Stevie's parents could arrive home at any minute, and while Christine had fucked people in more awkward places, she knew heart of hearts that she couldn't do this and they had already taken it far enough. While she was no means a perfect wife, the thought of John finding out that Christine cheated on him with someone whom he was very fond of broke her heart. Sound engineers were one thing, but having affairs with band mates could destroy everything they've worked so hard for.

"Stev-Stevie, stop." Christine stammered, grasping Stevie's arms and sitting up. She gently nudged the perplexed woman off her and straightened her clothes, trying to think straight.

Stevie frowned; the hurt and confusion evident in her expressive eyes as Christine pulled the discarded sweater over her.

"Did I do something wrong?" Stevie asked tentatively.

Christine shook her head vigorously and gently pushed Stevie's mused fringe away from her face. "No. You were perfect and sexy and I so badly wanted to make love to you, but I can't. Not with everything going on."

Christine waited with bated breath while Stevie processed her explanation.

"You still love John and don't want to hurt him even though he's hurt you." Stevie said quietly. Christine was amazed by the way her friend could read her mind.

"Yes." Christine paused, remembering someone else who will also be more than annoyed about his female band mates' liaisons. "And what about Lindsey? I'm sure you two will end up together again within the next two days or something."

Stevie smiled sheepishly. "Probably. He will be angry and hurt, too, but we're taking this break because I need some time away from him to be my own person. You worry about John not loving you enough, I sometimes think Lindsey loves me too much and it's hard to breathe sometimes. But I am in love with him and probably always will be."

Christine put her arms around Stevie and held her tight. "We'll be okay. It's a crazy whirlwind we're in, but we'll be okay."

"What happens now?"

"We pour ourselves another drink and talk about how we will laugh in 20 years about the day we almost shagged in your parents' garden." Christine reached over Stevie for the bottle of brandy and saw the polaroid of her that started this bizarre chain of events lying forgotten on the blanket.

"Oh I love it!" Christine exclaimed, taking in her shaggy blonde hair fanned around her face and the blissful grin she wore. She glanced up at Stevie who was staring at her intently. "Definitely me?"

Stevie gave Christine a wondrous look that stayed with her for decades. "Definitely."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise for how long this chapter is in comparison to the first one but I sort of got carried away with it haha. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this story so far and I’ll be finishing it within the next few days ☺


	3. Epilogue

** _2015_ **

“Where do you want this one, Chris?” Stevie asked, holding up the photo of Christine and Mick lying on a couch in coked-out hysterics during a recording session for _Rumours_. “Bathroom counter?”

“I think that would look better taped to my front door for everyone to see before they walk in,” Christine replied lightly. “Considering how open we are about our depraved past lives.”

Stevie gave her a faux withering look. “I’m going for a vision here, honey.”

“Fine, fine. Bathroom counter it is.” Christine conceded, shaking her head fondly as she watched her girlfriend bounce triumphantly out of her bedroom.

Fleetwood Mac weren’t due to play in London for a few weeks, but Stevie had arrived early to be with Christine. Long distance was hard, but they were both fiercely independent and the time apart here and there actually enhanced their relationship.

Christine turned back to the polaroids she had chosen to sprinkle around her new apartment in London. Some were in frames while others felt better on their own; fun and easy memories that could easily adorn Christine’s fridge or dressing table mirror.

When Stevie was working on her ‘24 Karat Gold ‘exhibition, she gave Christine her battered old shoebox filled with intimate shots she had taken of their lives during the mid 70’s.

_'You should keep these. I know you will appreciate them more than I ever did.’ _Stevie had explained.

Christine originally declined; but when she opened the box that smelt faintly of Stevie’s signature perfume, she couldn’t look away. Especially when she knew a certain photo would be there.

“That’s probably my favourite,” Stevie murmured as she came up behind Christine who was now holding it in her hands. “I almost kept it.”

“Mmm I’m glad you didn’t. There are some interesting memories attached to that day I enjoy thinking about.”

Stevie wrapped her arms around Christine’s waist and squeezed her suggestively. “You’re obviously talking about our shared commitment to try and make it work with our boyfriend and husband, yeah?”

“Obviously.” Christine chuckled. “Though our talk _was _interesting, given the events that transpired afterwards.”

“Yet here we are now.” Stevie whispered, placing a lingering kiss on Christine’s neck that caused her heart to skip the same way it did 40 years ago.

If someone had told Christine in 1975 how her life would unfold, she wouldn’t have blinked an eye; maybe it was the faint trace of her mother’s psychic genes she had inherited. Regardless, when the pair left Phoenix to join their band mates in California, Christine had a knowing feeling she would touch Stevie again.

The shared grief over ending their relationships and the traumatic aftermath that followed brought the two women closer than ever during _Rumours_. Christine and Stevie knew it ran deeper than sex, but with every scrap of self-control they both possessed they refrained from throwing themselves into a relationship. Between the drugs, affairs and general chaos with the boys, their precious connection might not have survived.

It took four decades for Christine and Stevie to get to a place where they felt happy within them selves to be together, but they weren’t counting the years when the now felt so right.

“Where are you going to put that one?” Stevie asked, jolting Christine out of her reverie.

Christine studied the polaroid of her 32-year-old self smiling at the grey sky; nostalgic about the past but accepting of the future. She gently untangled herself from Stevie and walked over to her bedside table. On it was a framed ‘selfie’ Stevie took of the two of them after their first show with Christine back in the band. They weren’t a couple yet, but the sheer joy of just being band mates again was evident on their glowing faces.

Christine tucked the old polaroid in the left hand corner of the frame. “What do you think of this?”

“I love it. It’s very symbolic of us.” Stevie decided before she pulled Christine into a breathtaking kiss. “I love those photos almost as much as I love you.”

“I love you too.” Christine breathed before she captured Stevie’s lips again.

As Christine pushed Stevie onto the bed she realised her prediction on that fateful day in Phoenix was only half correct. It was indeed a crazy whirlwind the two of them had been in, but they ended up being more than okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That’s it for Moments Laced With Gardenia. I really loved writing this story and it has sparked some ideas for future fics I will start developing over the next week or so. I’m wary of burn out so I probably won’t start writing them straight away. Thanks for reading and any feedback is very much appreciated! Cheers, A x


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